Before we get started just a quick note. Our story this week is about the aftermath of a

wildfire in Northern California. As we were putting the final touches on this

episode, a new wildfire started burning in the same region where our story takes place.

The Park Fire is one of the largest wildfires in California history and has displaced thousands

of people.

It won't be a major part of our story today, but we wanted to say here at the outset that

our hearts are with the people of Butte County and the surrounding area, who are once again struggling

with the impacts of a mega fire and all that will come after it.

Okay, here's episode two of not built for this, the ripple effect.

At a city council meeting in Chico, California in October of 2018, a man named Peter walked up to the podium.

He was wearing a black tank top, and he seemed frustrated.

I've been looking for housing, looking for housing, looking for housing.

I have tried, I've gone through behavioral health, I've gone through 211, I've gone through the housing

authority, give me all these lists, all it does is waste my time because it's lists of apartments either I don't qualify for or they're already

ringing. He was almost shaking by this point trying to convey just how hard he'd been

trying to find a place to live.

Every Monday I get him at 9 o'clock and I call you and it's already gone.

Are you freaking kidding me?

I live in the field between Walmart and that car lot.

But Peter was not telling the people on the Chico City Council anything that they did not already know.

It was obvious to anyone who was paying attention that the city, really the entire county, was having a very hard time keeping roofs over people's heads.

There was very little housing opportunity, in fact no effective housing opportunity for lower income households.

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